Cleopatra slot review

The Cleopatra slot explained

Cleopatra is one of the titles IGT is best known for, alongside Da Vinci Diamonds and Wolf Run. It is a plain, old-school video slot: one wild, one scatter, one bonus round and a fixed set of 20 lines. There are no cascades, no changing reel heights and no hold-and-win feature, which makes it one of the easiest games in our slot reviews to learn.

That simplicity has a price. Its published RTP of 95.02% is lower than most modern slots, so the game costs more per pound staked over time. Whether that trade is worth it depends on how much you value a familiar, slow-burning game over a cheaper one.

Cleopatra slot specifications

For an independent description of the same features, see the Casinos.com Cleopatra review (opens in a new tab). We don't use hit rates or bonus frequencies from listing sites.

How the features work in Cleopatra

The Cleopatra wild

The Cleopatra symbol is the wild. It substitutes for every other symbol except the Sphinx scatter, so it can complete any line win but can't help you reach the bonus. Check the paytable for any extra effect the wild has on wins it completes at your casino's version.

The Sphinx scatter

The Sphinx is the scatter. Scatters don't need to sit on a line; landing three or more anywhere on the reels in the same spin triggers the bonus.

15 free spins with tripled wins

The bonus gives 15 free spins, and every win during the round is tripled. There is no climbing multiplier and no choice to make: the same 3x applies to each win across all 15 spins. That makes the round easy to value in your head, as the next section shows. Our free spins features page compares this fixed approach with rounds that build as they go.

What tripled wins are worth: Cleopatra worked examples

A 3x multiplier on every win sounds generous, and within the bonus it is. Here is what it does to a few line wins at a 40p total stake (2p a line on 20 lines), using example line-win sizes rather than the game's actual paytable.

Two things follow. First, the tripling only applies inside the bonus, so it is already counted in the 95.02% RTP; it doesn't push the game's long-run return any higher. Second, many line wins are smaller than the total stake, so even tripled they can return less than 40p on a given spin. The multipliers explainer covers this in more depth.

Cleopatra RTP compared with other Egyptian slots

RTP is the long-run share of stakes paid back, and the house edge is what remains. At 95.02%, Cleopatra keeps about £4.98 of every £100 staked on average. The table puts that next to other Egyptian-themed games we review.

Against Pharaoh's Fortune at its top setting, Cleopatra costs about £1.50 more per £100 staked. That doesn't decide a single session, which can land well away from the average, but it adds up across regular play. Our house edge explainer shows how the figure is derived.

Cleopatra on a £20 budget at 10p, 50p and £1

Stake £20 through once and the average cost is about £1.00 (£20 × 4.98%) at any stake. The stake decides the number of spins and the chance of seeing the free spins round.

• 10p: 200 spins from £20. Average cost about £1.00. Enough spins to give the Sphinx trigger a reasonable chance to appear, though nothing is certain.
• 50p: 40 spins. Average cost the same, but 40 spins is short for a game whose best feature needs three scatters.
• £1: 20 spins. A quick session that often ends before the bonus appears.

Over an hour at an illustrative 600 spins, 10p play stakes £60 and costs about £2.99 on average, while £1 play stakes £600 and costs about £29.88. Use the cost per hour method to compare any two games, and set a deposit limit to match.

Cleopatra paylines: 20 lines on a 5x3 grid

Cleopatra's 20 paylines are fixed, so your total stake always covers every line. On a 15-position grid that means each position sits on several lines, which is why a well-placed wild can complete more than one win at once. The paytable shows the shape of each line and what each symbol pays.

Fixed lines remove a decision that older slots used to offer. You can't save money by playing fewer lines, but you also can't accidentally switch off the line that would have paid.

Playing Cleopatra online under UK rules

The Gambling Commission's remote technical standards apply to Cleopatra like any online slot. The main points from RTS 14 responsible product design (opens in a new tab) are:

• a minimum of 2.5 seconds per spin, with no turbo or slam-stop;
• no autoplay: each spin is started manually;
• no celebration of a return equal to or below the stake;
• your net position and time played on screen.

Stakes are capped at £5 a spin for players aged 25 and over and £2 for 18 to 24-year-olds; see the stake limit rules. Feature buy-ins aren't offered to British players, following the Commission's January 2020 warning, so the 15 free spins come only from Sphinx scatters.

Cleopatra myths worth ignoring

• 'Tripled wins make Cleopatra pay more than other slots.' The tripling is part of the 95.02% RTP, which is lower than many modern games.
• 'Old slots are looser.' Age says nothing about RTP; the published figure does. See are new slots better than old slots.
• 'Two Sphinxes means the third is coming.' Each spin is independent, and slots have no memory of earlier results.
• 'Playing at quiet times helps.' Results come from a random number generator and don't depend on the time of day.

How to play the Cleopatra slot

1. Open the paytable and help screen to check the RTP and symbol values.
2. Set your total stake; all 20 lines are always covered.
3. Press spin each time, as there is no autoplay on UK slots.
4. Use the Cleopatra wild's line wins as they come; it can't replace the Sphinx.
5. Land three or more Sphinx scatters for 15 free spins with every win tripled.
6. Check your net position and stop when you reach the limit you set.

Egyptian slots like Cleopatra

Our Egyptian slots collection groups the theme, and these are the closest alternatives by style or studio. For a newer take with a much higher cap, see Le Pharaoh at 96.18% and 15,000x.

Where to play Cleopatra in the UK

Our partner offers are slot offers, but none is tied to Cleopatra, so check the casino's game lobby to see if it's there. 18+ and terms apply.

• PlayOJO: new UK customers (not Northern Ireland) get 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza with a first deposit of £10 or more; spins are worth 10p each, with no wagering and winnings paid in cash. More in our PlayOJO slots guide.
• Coral: deposit and bet £10 or more on slots for 100 free spins at 10p on selected games, accepted within 48 hours and used within 7 days, no wagering on winnings; PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, Paysafe, prepaid cards and certain debit cards don't qualify.
• Ladbrokes: deposit and spend £10 or more on slots for 50 free spins a day over 10 days (500 maximum) at 10p on selected games, claimed by 23:59 each day and valid for 7 days, no wagering; PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and prepaid card deposits don't qualify.

Coral and Ladbrokes are both operated by LC International Limited, so holding new accounts at both may not be possible.

18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.